South Bay Digest

Wilmington

An official from a major harbor-area hauling company has agreed to instruct truckers using his facility to steer away from residential streets and obey local traffic laws, following a request by a recently organized community action group in Wilmington.

George Michelback, regional vice president of Express Intermodal Transport, told the Northeast Wilmington Community Organization during a meeting last week that he would tell truck drivers to comply with the residents' requests. Michelback, however, warned that most are independent drivers.

Michelback also said he would ask other Express Intermodal officials about the possibility of installing a new fence around the trucking facility, as requested by the group. He said he would have an answer within two weeks.

In addition, Michelback agreed to conduct late-night activities at his facility in the area farthest from homes and to meet with residents bimonthly to hear additional concerns.

The meeting between Michelback and about 50 Wilmington residents was the community action group's first effort to resolve problems in northeast Wilmington, where residents say the City of Los Angeles has been neglectful and harbor-area industries have been bad neighbors. The group was founded last week.

"I feel satisfied that he's aware of (the problem), but I have an attitude of let's wait and see," said member Juan Ortiz, who lives across the street from the facility.